I was walking along Wentworth Street in London’s Spitalfields district on a freezing cold winter’s day, when I first noticed the newly opened Hungry Donkey and was immediately tempted by the vegetarian all-day breakfast, and drawn to the small, cosy space as I peered in through the window.

A couple of days later R and I visited for lunch. Service was welcoming and helpful from the moment we stepped into the warmth. On asking the waitress about the all-day veggie breakfast, she went the extra mile not only talking me through that, but other vegetarian options too (I didn’t have the heart at that point to mention that I was also tempted by some of the meaty dishes, like lamb moussaka and skewered meat ‘souvlaki’ pitas. Next time).

On this first visit, I had a vegetarian all day breakfast in a sourdough sandwich @ £4.75 and grilled halloumi @ £1.00, while R had a souvlaki sausage pita @ £6.50 with grilled halloumi @ £1.00. All ingredients are carefully sourced and meat is from animals raised in a sustainable, ethical manner, with Aubrey Allen butchers named as a supplier (“Sausage is wild boar, pork and leek. The wild boar are free-range and are reared in an ideal and unique surrounding on Mount Olympus, Greece, by the Fotiadis family”. Appealing, no?).

All day breakfast – sourdough sandwich

That we visited again a few days later clearly says how much we enjoyed it. On our second visit, the cafe was full (already a popular lunchtime spot with the locals). I had strapatsada – scrambled eggs with fresh tomato and Cretan mizithra cheese on bread @ £6.00 (ok, let’s just get this out there: it might look a bit like sick but it tastes great) with a side of grilled halloumi @ £4.00, and R had a souvlaki pork pita wrap served with tomato, tzatziki, onion and paprika @ £6.00 with extra grilled halloumi @ £1.00.

The verdict: Great food and wines (more posh-nosh-cafe than greasy-spoon) served in a cosy, light and airy space, with welcoming, helpful service. Keep an eye on the Hungry Donkey website for evening events like Greek craft beer and food pairings or spit roast feasts.